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California  Three  Rs  Project  Rights,  Responsibilities,  and  Respect  

A  Project  of  the  California  County  Superintendents  Educational  Services  Association  and  the  First  Amendment  Center  at  Vanderbilt  

University  and  the  Newseum    

 Religious  Holidays  in  Public  Schools  

 Diwali  –  Festival  of  Lights  November  13,  2012  Margaret  Hill,  Director  CA  3Rs  Project  

 Diwali,  or  Dipawali,  India's  biggest  and  most  important  holiday  of  the  year,  is  celebrated  for  up  to  five  days   in  either  October  or  November.    Often  called  the  Festival  of  Lights,  the  holiday  gets  its  name  from  the  clay  lamps  that  many  people  in  and  from  India  light  

to   symbolize   the   inner   light   that   they  believe   protects   them   from   spiritual  darkness.  This   festival   is   as   important   to  Hindus   as   the   Christmas   holiday   is   to  Christians.   Hindu,   Sikh,   and   Jain  Americans,   including   students   and  teachers,   celebrate   the   holiday   as   an  important  tradition  in  their  communities.  The  importance  of  the  holiday  to  many  in  the  world  and  in  California  schools  makes  it  an  important  one  to  learn  about  in  the  curriculum.    This  3Rs  article  is  designed    

                                                                                                                                                                         to  assist  in  that  endeavor.  Diwali  Lamps  or  Diyas  

Picture  Source:  Wikimedia  Commons  http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Diwali_Diya.jpg      Celebrants  light  candles  and  oil  lamps,  decorate  their  homes,  exchange  gifts  with  loved  ones,   light   fireworks,   create   beautiful   rangoli   designs,   cook   special   foods   (especially  sweets),  and  perform  special  worship  ceremonies.      Tracing   its  origins  back   to  ancient   times  and  epics  such  as   the  Ramayana,   the  story  of  how   Diwali   evolved   into   such   a   widely   celebrated   festival   differs   by   the   regions   and  states   of   India.   Historically,   Diwali   was   probably   an   important   harvest   festival.   Some  believe  it  began  as  a  celebration  of  the  marriage  of  Lakshmi  with  Lord  Vishnu.  In  Bengal  the   festival   is   dedicated   to   the   worship   of   Kali   the   Hindu   goddess   of   strength   and  empowerment.  The  elephant-­‐headed  God  Ganesh,  the  remover  of  obstacles  and  symbol  of  auspiciousness  and  wisdom,  is  also  worshiped  by  many  Hindus  during  Diwali.      Especially   in   the   north   of   India,   Diwali   also   commemorates   the   return   of   Lord   Rama  along   with   Sita   and   Lakshman   from   his   fourteen   year-­‐long   exile   after   defeating   the  

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demon-­‐king   Ravana.   In   joyous   celebration   of   the   return   of   their   king,   the   people   of  Ayodhya,  the  Capital  of  Rama,  lit  up  the  kingdom  with  earthen  oil  lamps  and  set  off  fire-­‐  crackers.  Each  day  of  Diwali  has  its  own  tale,  legend  and  myth  to  tell.      For   Jains,   Deepawali   (an   alternate   name   for   Diwali)   has   an   added   significance   as   the  celebration   of   Lord   Mahavira’s,   the   last   Tirthankara,   attainment   of   eternal   bliss   of  nirvana.  According  to  Jain  philosophy,  all  Tirthankaras  were  born  as  human  beings  but  they   attained   a   state   of   enlightenment  through   meditation   and   self-­‐realization.  They  are  the  Gods  of  Jains.    

 Jain  Honoring    Lord  Mahavira  

Picture  Source:  http://post.jagran.com/special-­‐way-­‐of-­‐celebrating-­‐diwali-­‐by-­‐jains-­‐1319450406     For   Sikhs,  Diwali   is   particularly   important  because   it   celebrates   the   release   from  prison  of   the  sixth  guru,  Guru  Hargobind,  and   52   other   princes   with   him,   in   1619.  The  Sikh  tradition  holds  that  the  Emperor  Jahangir   had   imprisoned   Guru   Hargobind   and   52   princes.   The   Emperor   was   asked   to  release  Guru  Hargobind,  which  he  agreed  to  do.  However,  Guru  Hargobind  asked  that  the  princes  be  released  also.  The  Emperor  agreed  to  release  only  those  who  could  hold  onto  the  Guru’s  cloak.    However,  Guru  Hargobind  had  a  cloak  made  with  52  pieces  of  string   hanging   down   and   so   each   prince   was   able   to   hold   onto   one   string   and   leave  prison.   Sikhs   celebrated   the   return  of  Guru  Hargobind  by   lighting   the  Golden  Temple,  the  holiest  temple  of  the  Sikhs.    This  tradition  continues  today.    

Children’s  Literature      Gardeski,  Christina  M.  Diwali  (Rookie  Read-­‐About  Holidays).  Children’s  Press,  2001.  

This  brief  introduction  to  the  Hindu  holiday  of  Diwali,  discusses  the  story  of  the  hero  Rama  whose  deeds  it  commemorates,  and  explains  how  the  holiday  is  celebrated.  

 Heiligman,  Deborah.  Celebrate  Diwali:  With  Sweets,  Lights,  and  Fireworks  (Holidays  Around  the  World).  National  Geographic,  2008  

Viewed  as  a  holiday  of  great  joy,  Diwali  celebrates  the  triumph  of  good  over  evil,and  of  light  over  darkness.  Celebrations  marked  by  fireworks,  sweets,  and  gifts  are  described  and  supported  by  recipes,  a  glossary,  a  map,  and  a  resource  list.    

 Hughes,  Monica.  My  Divali  (Festivals).  Raintree,  2004.    

This  simple  book  provides  a  brief  introduction  to  Divali  (Diwali)  for  young  children.  

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 MacMillan,  Dianne  M.  Diwali  –  Hindu  Festival  of  Lights  (Best  Holiday  Books,  rev.).    Enslow  Elementary,  2008.  

This  richly  illustrated  book  puts  the  celebration  of  Diwali  in  religious,  historical    andcultural  context.  A  glossary  of  terms  is  included.  

 Parker-­‐Rock,  Michelle.  Diwali:  The  Hindu  Festival  of  Lights,  Feasts,  and  Family  (Finding  Out  about  Holidays).  Enslow  Elementary,  2004.

The  author  introduces  the  history,  customs,  and  practices  of  Diwali,  an  important  Hindu  holiday  that  originated  from  a  harvest  festival.  Color  photos  and  a  craft  section  help  the  reader  understand  how  Diwali  is  observed.    

Russell,  Jesse  and  Ronald  Cohn.  Diwali.  Book  on  Demand  Ltd.,  2012.  This  book  was  edited  and  distilled  from  Wikipedia  articles  on  the  topic  and  provides  information  and  background  on  the  origins  and  celebration  of  Diwali  by  Hindus  and  Jains.    

 Senker,  Cath.  My  Hindu  Year.  Hodder  Wayland,  2003  

This  book  about  Hindu  life,  worship  and  holidays  puts  Diwali  in  the  context  of  Hindu  beliefs  and  practice.  There  is  a  calendar,  glossary  and  notes  for  teachers.    

 Torpie,  Kate.  Diwali  (Celebrate  My  Year).  Crabtree  Publishing,  2009.    

In  a  questions  and  answer  style,  Torpie  describes  the  five-­‐day  'festival  of  lights'  celebration,  one  of  the  most  popular  festivals  in  the  Hindu  calendar.  Like  many  Hindu  festivals,  Diwali  celebrates  the  triumph  of  good  over  evil.    

 Verma,  Jatinder.  The  Story  of  Divaali.  Barefoot  Books,  2002.      

Verma  retells  parts  of  the  Hindu  epic,  The  Ramayana,  to  explore  the  events  celebrated  during  the  festival  of  Divaali  and  celebrations.  The  narrative  pace  is  based  on  Indian  oral  tradition  and  is  best  read  after  an  introduction  to  the  basic  ideas  and  importance  of  the  Ramayana.    

 Zucker,  Jonny.  Lighting  a  Lamp:  A  Diwali  Story  (Festival  Time).  Barron's  Educational    Series,  2004.    

This  short  book  for  young  children  describes  the  activities  of  typical  families  as  parents  and  children  to  celebrate  Diwali  the  Indian  five-­‐day  festival  of  lights  that  welcomes  in  the  lunar  new  year.      

Web  Resources    Diwali  http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/holidays/diwali.htm  

Diwali  is  a  Hindu  festival  of  lights  lasting  five  days.  For  many  Hindus,  Diwali  is  also  New  Year's  Eve.  

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 Diwali  http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/religion/hinduism/diwali.shtml  This  British  Broadcasting  Company  page  on  Diwali  is  written  for  schools  and  includes  resources  for  classroom  lessons.      Diwali:  Festival  of  Lights  http://hinduism.about.com/od/diwalifestivaloflights/a/diwali.htm    This  About.com  site  traces  the  history  and  the  reason  behind  many  of  the  elements  of  the  Diwali  clebration.      Diwali,  India's  Festival  of  Light  http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/stories/peopleplaces/diwali/  This  National  Geographic  for  kids  site  provides  an  overview  of  the  Diwali  holiday  in  India  including  why  and  how  it  is  celebrated  and  how  it  differs  among  the  Hindu,  Sikh,  and  Jain  communities.    Diwali  -­‐  Society  for  the  Confluence  of  Festivals  in  India  http://www.diwalifestival.org/  This  rich  source  of  information  about  Diwali  has  lots  of  ads  as  well  for  food  and  gifts  to  celebrate  the  holiday.  It  provides  a  perspective  on  the  holiday  with  stories,  worship  practices,  history,  and  much  more  from  those  who  follow  the  tradition.    The  traditions  and  practices  for  each  of  the  five  days  are  explained.      Rama  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rama  This  Wikipedia  article  provides  background  information  on  the  story  of  Rama’s  life  to  show  why  he  is  central  to  the  Diwali  festival.      Rangoli  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rangoli  Rangoli  are  colorful  designs  made  on  floors  and  courtyards  during  Hindu  festivals.  They  

vary  by  region  and  festival,  reflecting  different  folklore  traditions  and  are  created  from  brightly  colored  flour,  rice,  tiny  rocks,  etc.      

 Diwali  Rangoli  Image  Source:  

http://funnilogy.blogspot.com/2011/10/diwali-­‐rangoli-­‐designs.html